Final Blog Post #freebobcat

Hello everyone, and welcome to the final blog post for Brazil. I might update the Brent Bible in the future if I decide to do some more traveling or if my life is in shambles and I need a place to rant, but until one of those two things happens, I am on sabbatical.

Thank you to everyone who tuned in! I hope you enjoyed reading these posts as much as I enjoyed writing them. It was a cool way to document the day-to-day life here, and had I not done these blogs, I probably would’ve taken most of the trip for granted. I have to answer some questions/prompts for my class, so that is what will be included here. If you want to read them, you’re more than welcome, if not, skip to the end, I’m going to do a highlight reel of pictures.

How close was your experience in Brazil to what you had expected before going on the trip?

I think that my experience here in Brazil was similar to what I had expected, aside from the fact that we had more fun than I initially thought. I thought that it would be more rigorous academically and workload-wise (we still had a good deal of work and were busy 100% of the time, if not with school work or project work, it was a company visit), but I was never stressed out about the work the way that I would be if I was back in Boston. Despite it being laid back, I learned a lot, not only about the academic/professional side of things (professional meaning company visits, facility tours, etc.) but also about the cultural side of things. Through the numerous visits and tours that we did around Sao Paolo, Rio, and Foz, I truly felt like I was immersed in Brazilian Culture. Additionally, the bar scene in Vila Madalena had a lot of live music, which I loved.

Is there one specific experience you had in Brazil that drastically changed your perspective on the country and culture?

If I had to pick one experience and say that it drastically changed my perspective on Brazil, it would be one of the first nights that we went out. We went to a live music bar, and they were playing classical Brazilian music. Everyone was having a good time, the vibrations were quality, and everyone was in the moment. I took a deep breath looked around, and appreciated the moment that I was in, and realized all of these things. I think that countries that are considered dangerous often get a bad rep, but in reality, have some of the most vibrant and beautiful cultures that you can experience.

How hard was it to deal with the language barrier in Brazil?

Honestly, not too bad. Our guides, our professor, and Coni were all very good at helping us out where we needed it. Additionally, I was able to get by with minimal amounts of Portuguese, and Marco is fluent in Spanish. I had a little bit of a Spanish background from high school, and I whipped it out a few times.

In what ways did you immerse yourself in the Brazilian culture?

Food! I tried a ton of new food here, and I think that food is one of the biggest things a culture can offer, and I did not hold myself back. Brazil has a melting pot of a culture, and so many different cultures blend together here. I ate out most nights and did what I could to try something new each time. Sometimes when we went out, it was just a burger, but I tried to do what I could to spice it up the most.

If you could go back and do something differently during the trip what would it be?

Genuinely, I think I did it right. I don’t have any regrets during my time here – I tried so many new foods, drinks, things, and experiences, and I am so glad that I did things the way I did. I made the most of my time here. I guess if I had to choose to do one thing differently, I think it would have been to make more time for myself. I was out doing something almost every second of the day with people, and I think that it would have been nice to not go out a night or two, and simply reflect a little bit about the experiences that I was having. I did not have much time to really sit down and think about things, and I wish that I had some more time to ponder.

Comment on your contributions to the CPFL sustainability project.

In our project, I contributed mainly in the research of Molten Oxide Electrolysis and Boston Metals as new potential revenue streams for ComBio’s ashes that are generated at the Mogi Guacu unit. Additionally, I did the policy research and assisted in the research and calculations of co-digestion as a way of treating the basic/hazardous ashes. I presented in these areas for our deliverable presentations to ComBio and wrote the section on Molten Oxide Electrolysis in our formal report. Additionally, in our formal report, I contributed to the writing of the section pertaining to the policies related to our sector.

Discuss the connections between the sustainable energy coursework and site visits with what you learned from the project.

The connections between the sustainable energy coursework and site visits were very well thought out. It was very nice to be able to learn a topic in the classroom and then have the opportunity to go out and apply said topic in a tangible form. Something that definitely supplemented my learning and made me feel like I learned more.

What sociocultural issues did you learn about sustainability and how they are (or not) addressed in Brazil and the USA

The main sociocultural issue that I learned about and witnessed in Brazil was the disparity between the upper/middle class and the lower class. There really is not a middle class, and you are either well-off or in the Favela. This was very eye-opening, and one of the speakers who was talking about her construction experience in Rio building the Olympic Village was that sustainable construction practices affected the lower class in the favela and in the surrounding area. She explained that by limiting the water used, the surrounding community did not have water, and it goes to show that the lower class is on the short end of the stick when the wealthy and the upper class try to do things sustainably.

Policy-wise, I think that there would be a benefit to instituting something that forces better planning and organization when a sustainable effort is made to make sure that surrounding citizens aren’t affected. Additionally, I think that there should be steps taken to help with the disparity of wealth. There has been a lot of things done in the States that I am not necessarily a fan of, however, there needs to be some sort of progressive healthcare system and more money injected into the public infrastructure of Brazil to help foster the growth of a middle class. Government spending creates a need for jobs.

How did this experience effect you perspectives on global issues, sustainability, engineering, and anything else .

In terms of global issues, I think that what I just mentioned above about the wealth disparity that I witnessed in Brazil was rather eye-opening, as it really is not something that I witness in the US. It reframed my perspective on how I see things in other countries that are not as well-off as we are in the States.

To talk about sustainability and engineering, it was great to have the opportunity to work with engineers and learn from engineers about sustainable energy and sustainable practices in a different country. It was a new lens that I was able to experience, and I am very thankful to have learned about it and experienced it. It definitely made me more aware of the potential that sustainable energy and practices have to be applied in the US, and I am more excited for growth in that sector.

Overall, what did you learn from this experience- both educational and personal

Education is easy – I learned a lot more about chemistry and feel more confident going about solving problems in that area, as well as learned a ton more about the ins and outs of energy systems. I enjoyed the energy systems class and found the material super interesting, as we dove deeper into how things work, which has been an interest of mine for a good deal of time now.

Personally, I learned a good deal about myself. I think I confirmed that I love experiencing things, people, places, cultures, etc. And I can’t wait to experience more of everything. I can’t wait for another opportunity to travel and immerse myself in other cultures, eat their food, listen to their music, drink their beer, and above all, talk to them. With the Brazilians in my group and the countless people I talked with at bars and clubs from all over the world, I realized that I love talking to people who are so much different from I am. It is such a beautiful thing to realize that the world is so big and that there are so many things to experience that aren’t in Rochester, NY, or Boston, MA. I found something new that I love and I can’t wait to grow my love for it in the near future.

So yeah, Mom, you were right. I got bit by the travel bug.

Here's the Highlight Reel: